Petunia
by Lilacnightmares
Summary: Unknown always wanted to have his own assistant. One that is bathed in wisteria and petunias, covering their throat until they suffocate or give in. There are some things that he can't do by showing his face and that's where someone who was very much his equal would be able to help him achieve paradise. He's got his eyes set on somebody and surely, with her, the success is ensured.
1. Abduction

Abduction

* * *

Lila wasn't sure exactly sure why she had decided that she needed to get this far away from her home. She just looked at the map on her wall and the first country that her eyes met became the one that she would escape to. It just turned out that it happened to be the country that she last expected it to be.

She did know why she wanted to get away it just wasn't something that she wanted to focus on.

Family life had gotten really bad, and after that really bad breakup, she just wanted to escape. It wasn't until she had the ticket in her hand and she was boarding her flight that it hit her; She was getting away from all the lingering problems that had haunted her for months. It was liberating in some ways that were hard to express.

This was the first time in a very long time that she felt free to do whatever she wanted to do. She didn't have to live up expectations or push herself so hard into her word that her fingers bleed. She could frankly do anything, and she went straight ahead without even thinking through all of her choices as they were endless.

She was going to take life by the flip of a coin.

It was very unlike Lila, but, she wanted to make a change. If she wanted to be more daring and bold of a person then she needed to take some risks.

So, that's exactly what she did. It took a couple of long hours but after a nap and a quick read-through of one of her favorite books, the plane arrived in Seoul sometime during the afternoon. She settled in rather quickly. She headed to her hotel right off the bat and slept off the lingering jet lag until her body felt refreshed.

That following morning, she got up and for once, she had no idea of what to do with herself.

Normally her anxiety would have chomped at the bit at that realization, however, this time, she didn't feel as concerned about it as she normally would. Lila just pilfered through her phone for a little bit to let those that were concerned, not as if there were any apart from one person, and after reassuring her sister that she had arrived just fine and sound, she rose from the bed and decided to start the day.

She got dressed and then left her hotel to just do whatever seemed interesting. Whether that meant she walked for some time until anything intriguing popped up, or if she recalled something from her online research back home and wanted to check it out. That cycle was rinsed and repeated over two weeks.

Sure, a good portion of that time was spent looking for new accessories and props that would look good with the coords back at her apartment, but there was nothing wrong with that. The best place to find cutesy stuff always seemed to lead back to South Korea or Japan. There was no way she would pass up the chance to find great prices on stuff that cost an arm and a leg to buy and ship back home.

You had to keep your eye out for the next coordinate and all the looks that went with it, that's how Lila enjoyed spending her free time and just being able to bask in that hobby without the judging eyes of her mother on her back was the greatest feeling she had ever felt thus far in life. Everybody has their little niche.

Hers just happened to be Lolita.

She didn't always get to dress up, though. It was harder back home when there weren't enough meetups and never quite enough people to chat with her about it in a positive way. Some people just didn't get that it was a form of rebellion, just like those classic punk kids in ripped jeans. Although, that just meant all the more chances for her to come across rare items without competition.

Never let it be said that Lila was someone who could be stopped when she got her eyes locked on target.

She might have hissed at someone if they dared touched something with Cinnamoroll on it before she could. Of course, only in her head would that scenario play out. She was far too socially anxious to ever push a confrontation.

All and all, the first couple of weeks had been a lot of fun and allowed her to breathe. All of the weight that had been suffocating her back in America was all but gone. It still existed but it was like there was a barrier that kept it from reaching her while she was here. Lila was grateful for that.

It was nice, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back just yet. She would have to, though, eventually, and when that day came, she would still be reluctant. For the time being, she just wanted to enjoy this vacation for what it was.

She hadn't spoken to many people, although be it not much of her fault because while she was relatively fluent in the language, she was by no means an expert. She would often misplace the right word she was looking for with something else. It could be embarrassing and she wanted to avoid making a fool of herself.

Better left unsaid when you didn't know what you were doing. Faking it till you made it only worked in the context of other situations.

Tonight, though, something felt off.

As a matter of fact, something hadn't felt quite right in the last few days. She couldn't put her finger on it but it was like something was watching her back everywhere she went. Lila didn't know why this was the case. She never did see anyone looking at her or trailing behind her at all.

She knew when to look and not get caught. It was just a trait that any woman in a city learned fast either when they were young or when they started living there on their own. She would try and note for any abnormalities in windows and her phone camera but nothing came out. She decided tonight that she was just being irrational.

It wasn't unlike Lila to get overwhelmed with a sensation and run with it.

It just had to be one of those things, right?

...Right?

The city streets were always alive with people and there was always the sense that she wasn't alone so that couldn't have been it. She frowned and glanced at her phone as the view of her hotel started to appear on the horizon.

She had stayed out a little later than usual to get some tea, and that wasn't much of a big deal. It was nice to meet up with other Lolita. She didn't often get to do that. So, she was dressed up tonight and as cute as can be. Nobody would take her as much of a threat when she looked like a cute cupcake, you know?

It was just this feeling that wouldn't go away. She just didn't like this feeling. If she had to make a break for it, it would be a little harder than normal. Her phone told her that it was around nine o'clock. There weren't as many people out as there were when she normally took this path back, but there were enough that she wasn't as nervous as she might have been on another night.

Another odd thing that she couldn't ignore was happening. For some reason, her phone was downloading something and that shouldn't have been happening.

Lila stopped in her tracks and went underneath the first streetlight she saw to see what it was loading up. She didn't remember clicking anything. She never even unlocked it. Her data was limited too abroad, so this shouldn't have even happened without her okaying it.

She watched as it finished loading and then with a raised brow, she murmured the title of it to herself in confusion, "R.F.A.? ...What the heck is that?"

It could have been an accident?

Against her better judgment, she clicked the little button a chatroom opened out. Most of it was distorted in the background like the code had been frayed, or broken, maybe tinkered with just in the wrong way?

She pursed her lips. Something here was fishy. It gave her the prompt to enter a username.

Lila plugged in her nickname, then she hesitated. She may be trying new things but this might have been a reach. She was going to close it and try to remove it because it could have easily been a virus but a message popped up.

**Unknown:** Hello?

**Wisteria:** Um, hi?

**Unknown:** Can you see this?

**Wisteria:** Yes.

**Unknown: **Oh, thank goodness. I didn't think I was ever going to get a response from anyone.

**Wisteria:** I'm a little confused myself.

**Wisteria: **Um, what is this app? Do you know?

**Unknown:** …

**Unknown:** I was going to ask you that. You see, I found this cell phone on the subway. There was nothing on it.

**Unknown:** Except for this messenger app.

**Unknown:** I wanted to return to its owner but there

weren't any contact details written anywhere on it.

**Wisteria:** Well, this app just kind of… appeared on my phone. I'm not sure who that device belongs to, or how this got on my phone in the first place.

**Unknown:** Hm. That's really odd.

**Unknown:** Darn. I thought I had found someone to give this to after not knowing what to do with it.

**Wisteria:** Well, you can always take it to the local police station.

**Wisteria:** I'm not really from this area. I don't know anyone, I'm afraid.

**Wisteria:** It's very good of you to want to return something like that though. Most people would have just pocketed the free device.

**Unknown:** Well, I'm a very religious person. It would be against the teachings to not do the right thing, you know?

**Unknown:** Oh, look at me. I was so excited about finding someone that I forgot to introduce myself.

**Unknown:** I don't care for my name. I usually leave all my accounts blank like this.

**Unknown:** I guess you could say my name is Unknown…

**Wisteria:** My name is Lila.

**Unknown:** Since you're typing in English, I can assume you're American?

**Wisteria:** I would hope it wouldn't be that obvious.

**Unknown:** Wow, you came from a long way away.

**Wisteria:** To clear my head, if that makes sense.

**Unknown:** Sure. I can understand.

**Unknown:** I'd hate to bother you anymore and I figure you're probably really wary of strangers in a foreign country...

**Unknown:** I'm not all that great at talking to people... or reaching out... but I want to find the owner of this phone.

**Wisteria:** Well, your best bet is lost and found or the police station.

**Unknown:** Yeah. That makes the most sense but... ah.

**Unknown:** I've got really bad social anxiety when it comes to stuff like this.

**Wisteria:** Oh...

**Wisteria:** I understand. I have the same problem.

**Wisteria:** Don't you have any friends that can accompany you?

**Unknown:** Ah, no. I'm pretty new to this area too since I came here for my studies.

**Unknown:** There is an address on this phone now that I'm trying to pick it apart, but that's really about it.

**Unknown:** I don't want to just pop into somebody's place out of nowhere without being able to speak with them first!

**Unknown:** You wouldn't happen to want to go there for me?

**Unknown:** Would you?

**Wisteria:** Just pop up to a stranger's place to tell me this person found their phone but they're too nervous to give it back themselves?

**Wisteria:** You're joking right? lol

**Wisteria: **Don't put me in that position too!

**Unknown:** It is strange to suggest, isn't it?

**Unknown:** lol

**Unknown:** I'm kind of trapped between a rock and a hard place. I know it's silly but…

**Wisteria:** I'm gonna kick myself for this but if you're in the same area as me then I might be able to come with you to drop it off with the authorities.

**Unknown: **Really? Oh, you don't know how much that would mean to me.

**Wisteria: **What could it hurt?

**Wisteria:** As long as it's in a public area, it should be fine.

**Unknown:** Oh, man, I never thought someone would be so nice to me like that.

**Unknown:** [address]

Lila clicked the link and it took her to her maps app.

It said that the location wasn't all that far from where she was. It was a couple of blocks away but it seemed like a dense area given the few different restaurants and businesses. It was probably alright. They seemed okay. She didn't have any bad feelings in her gut and she empathized with this person.

She wanted to give them the benefit of a doubt.

She was trying to be more spontaneous and open. Surely this could count as one of those things if she let it. If things got fishy, she could always leave and turn around.

It wasn't like they were asking her to go out of their way and do it. They seemed to appreciate the thought. She didn't want anyone to feel worried about themselves and if that got her into trouble, well, so be it.

Her empathy was, unfortunately, stronger than her brain at times.

If someone said that they were struggling in a way that she did, her empathy overtook her brain and she just went to help them. It had gotten her into a lot of trouble in the past but there times where she did believe it was an asset.

What kind of person would she be if she didn't try to help others?

**Wisteria:** That's not far from me…

**Wisteria:** Well, I'll help you out. But if things seem fishy, I'm out of there.

**Unknown:** Really?

**Unknown:** I won't let you regret it.

**Unknown:** Th

**Unknown:** ank

**Unknown: **you

**Unknown has left the chatroom.**

**Wisteria has left the chatroom.**

Lila stashed her phone away and decided to head towards the location using her GPS to guide her the rest of the way along with the signs that she couldn't quite read on her own. As she began to turn away from her hotel, the bright lights started to die down the further she walked away. It was a little ominous but she paid it no mind.

It wasn't like she would be gone for very long.

When she arrived at the area that had been sent to her, she glanced around to see if she could see somebody that seemed to be looking for someone else. It took a few minutes of looking at whoever passed her by but after five minutes of looking around, she had decided that whoever it was didn't really want her help.

They would have found her by now if that was the case.

She blew out a puff of air and went to stash her phone back into her coat pocket when a voice spoke from behind her head, "You wouldn't happen to be username Wisteria, would you?"

Lila immediately spun around to face this person. She found herself staring up and into the most dazzling and haunting green eyes she had ever seen. They were almost unnatural in color the way that they shimmered underneath the streetlights. His locks were dyed white but had to a sheen to it where pink lingered through the tips.

He was a stark contrast in dress compared to what she was wearing.

He looked like he had walked into a mall Hot Topic and grabbed the first thing he saw to make himself look tough; With a leather jacket that purposely hung from his shoulders and a tank top that fit a little too well against his frame, as well as dark jeans and boots.

She wasn't one to say something about the way that somebody looked so she wasn't going to comment on somebody's aesthetic. People would take a look at her and make their assumptions. She hated that. Plenty of people were far different from the way that they looked and she knew plenty of people that were kind and dressed dark as night.

She cocked her head to the side, "And I presume you're username Unknown, then?"

It made him grin involuntarily. It didn't reach his eyes, though. "You'd be correct. I don't hate smart people so I'm impressed you'd picked up on that so quickly. Yeah, that's me, Unknown. Funny, isn't it, though? I don't bother with nicknames but the system gives you one anyway. "

"Yeah. Society and labels, am I right? You'd think somebody like me wouldn't fit the name I picked either," she offered a small, polite smile.

"Mmm," he hummed. "No, I'd say that your name suits you. It isn't a symbol I expected to see from somebody with such a nice disposition like yourself, but then again, my name doesn't match me quite fit as one would think… right?"

"I suppose so," she nodded in agreement.

Unknown seemed alright.

His hands rested at his sides and he didn't move much. There was enough space between them that she didn't feel out of place. She didn't feel very threatened by him yet so she didn't say much to him. He wasn't making any sudden moves or anything so this seemed like it was legit.

She shuffled from one foot to the other as the lingering anxiety buzzed. Lila looked away for a moment and then looked back at Unknown, "So, you said you found a phone? Whoever lost it must be missing it plenty. I can head with you now if you still want me to!"

Unknown stared at her for a moment as if he were trying to read her expression for something hidden underneath the surface.

When he seemed to find what he was searching for, he nodded his head. "Yes, I want to do the right thing. I appreciate that you want to help me so willingly. Most people wouldn't help a stranger like this."

The two of them started to walk down the sidewalk together and the further that they traveled away from that spot, the darker and more lonely the streets grew. Fewer people were standing around or walking in the same direction, and the streetlights were dwindling. It was like the road they were on was getting into a more desolate part of town.

"Yeah, but you seem like an alright guy to me," Lila said. She kept her hands close to her body. "I'm sure you deal with this sort of thing often, not a lot of people are nice to anyone who deviates from what people consider normal. I get it. I hear plenty of flack from people about the way that I dress from time to time."

"It suits you," Unknown replied.

His tone, although dry, made her chest feel warm.

Heat rose to her cheeks. She wasn't used to compliments nor did she know how to react when she got them from people. She let out a little awkward laugh. "Well, thank you. I work hard to pull these off. It takes a lot of thought to make something look just right."

They spent the next twenty minutes or so just talking and chatting about this and that. He would charm her or make her feel like she was really special, and her trust for him would grow stronger and stronger by the minute.

It put her off-guard.

She was so preoccupied with chatting with this stranger that she didn't even realize that they were the only people standing on the street now.

"It really is my lucky day," he commented, idly.

There was no sign of any other light and all the lights sans the moon were long but gone.

Lila glanced at him, "What makes you say that?"

A chuckle bubbled up from the back of his throat. It was dark and made her shiver as it echoed throughout the street, "Oh? You don't know? At first, I thought that you would be the perfect choice for my plan. Anyone would be enthralled by a girl as naive as you without even blinking. But, I think I changed my mind. I don't want to share you with those bastards."

That was when Lila realized the position that she was in and just how far they had strayed from the rest of the world. It was just she and him. There was nobody if something happened. She wasn't sure what he was talking about.

Her blood ran cold.

What plan?

"Plan?" Lila asked, trying to keep her cool. She didn't want to escalate anything. Clarification was going to be key here. "What are you talking about? I thought that I was just helping you with…"

Unknown held up his hand and shushed her before she could finish talking. His face told her all she needed to know. He clicked his tongue in distaste. "I'm getting ahead of myself. I don't want to play twenty questions, princess. I'll put it in simple words for you. I've come to take you to paradise. A place where only the chosen can wander freely, and where all your pain disappears."

Paradise…?

What was he talking about? She had no clue what he was talking about. She just wanted to help him return a phone. There was nothing about this when they spoke. He never mentioned that he had a speech ready for some sort of mythical location.

Her body was trembling.

Every part of her was screaming that she needed to get out of this place as fast as she could but her legs weren't listening. She could feel her chest tightening and her breath start to quicken. This wasn't good, this wasn't good.

Unknown took a step closer, and another, and another until he was in front of her. "My dear naive princess... did you really think you could trust any stranger? Don't worry, I'll reward you greatly for your actions. I know you've been hurt by the outside world but I know just how to correct your woes and pain. You're going to come to paradise with me… **whether you like it not**."

Lila swallowed, "A… And what are you going to do if I scream for help right now?"

"Let's just say, I don't want to have to do those when it's all that easier just to get you to walk willingly for me, you wouldn't like the answer, trust me." He said, "I really don't want to dirty my hands or hurt you. But, I must do what I must do for paradise. You're the one that willingly came to help somebody shady, you know? You don't have any regard for your safety."

She could try to make a break for it.

But she didn't have any idea if he had a weapon or not. Even if she tried, he would be able to take her down. He was a lot bigger than she was. It wouldn't have taken much to do it. She had no choice but to listen to him.

Lila knew that she should fight back.

But, at the same time, she knew that if she fought him right now, the odds were stacked against her from all sides.

Unknown was watching as she ran through all of her options and landed on the one that he already knew was coming. He only laughed when she dropped her head in defeat and went quiet. From his perspective, she was about to burst into tears.

He gripped her chin in his index finger and thumb and tipped it back so he could see her nervous brown eyes. "What a good girl you are, princess. You really do act as you look. I thought you were going to make it hard on me, but it turns out you're just as polite about following your manners as your profiles led me to believe."

Lila didn't say anything.

"**Haha… hahaha…! Don't worry. I'll treat you better than that traitor ever would have**."


	2. Hostage

**2: Hostage**

* * *

When Lila awoke the next morning she found herself in unfamiliar territory.

The walls were barren and the temperature was well below freezing in this room. She knew she was inside because it was fall and it was hardly this cold out yet. She involuntarily shivered and sat upright without thinking first, looking around the room to see where she was.

There were a lot of monitors and a mammoth hard-drive on the opposite side of the room. Apart from that, there was the couch that she was laying on, a couple of filing cabinets, and a couple of extra spare storage containers that she couldn't see inside. It was like a basement or a dungeon, there was no window or any windows for that matter.

It was solid.

This place was built to keep things in and keep things out.

"I guess… he really did take me," she whispered. "But, where did he take me?"

She rubbed at her eyes, wondering what had happened the night before that had caused her to wind up in this place. She could remember her interaction with Unknown and how he had forced her to walk with him until they reached a car, and then he covered her eyes.

It was a blur from that point as her body had been on autopilot.

The rest was… lost.

So, this was what she had to work with. She rose to her feet and began to inspect her surroundings to see if she could locate what exactly would explain the purpose of his room or if there was some kind of hint on how to get out of the room.

Pushing against the door didn't work as it seemingly locked from the outside.

That was a damn fire hazard!

The computer was password locked, so that was a moot point, and nothing else gave her what she needed. Frustrated, she sat down in the chair and stared at the blue light from the monitors praying for something to happen or materialize. It never did.

She sat there for quite a while until the door slid open and the sound of boots thudded against the floor. She seized and tried not to turn around. She knew that that had to be Unknown; There was no telling how he was going to react or what he was going to do when he realized she was awake.

His hand pressed to her shoulder and he chuckled at the way she tensed up and tried to remain calm, "Hello, princess. I see you've finally woken up. Good. I have work to do and you have a lot to learn."

She sucked in a breath, "Where the hell are we?"

He leaned in closer so that his breath ghosted against her ear. He chuckled, "Mmm. I know you're not really daft. Don't tell me you forgot what happened last night. This is paradise, remember? I brought you here to save you from those who continue to hurt you out there, and you're going to repay me by being my cute little assistant."

"I- I never… agreed to that," she whispered, almost inaudible.

Lila wasn't looking at him. She was staring at his reflection in the monitor and his wicked smirk only grew as her discomfort did. He just watched as she squirmed and slowly lost what remained of her composure.

Unknown's hand caressed her cheek, cooing, "Oh, I knew you might say that. You never disagreed, either, cupcake."

Well, he was right.

She never said no.

* * *

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Go through those files," he said, bluntly.

She stared at the back of his head with pursed lips, "And what exactly am I looking for in these, anyway?"

His patience was wearing thin. It was obvious that he didn't like that she couldn't read his wants and desires as soon as he thought of them. Lila was no mind-reader, and she wanted to know what the hell she was doing for him. She hadn't exactly gotten much out of him since he would often leave her hanging without giving away much.

Mint Eye was a paradise for the down-trodden.

This was a safe haven for people that had been hurt, and it was supposed to be a place where pain didn't exist at all, supposedly.

Well, the ache in Lila's body seemed to prove that was wrong. She was hurting and exhausted to the bone. There was no sense of peace in her heart right now. She hadn't seen enough of it to make her own conclusion. Unknown had her on a ball and chain.

She couldn't stray far from him as his trust was low in other humans.

Lila could see that he was close to being rash. She changed her tone, carefully, and looked down at her lap. "I understand that your mission is very important to you. If you want me to help you, then I have to know something. What is this goal? What are we trying to achieve here? What exactly is it you're all aiming for?"

His chair spun around and he faced her, one leg crossed over the other and head resting against one of his hands as if he were bored. "Let's just say the goal is to show my Savior something amusing. There are people out there that don't give a fuck about how much they hurt others and they reap what they sow, what goes around comes around, right?"

Lila still struggled to connect what that had to do with the messy documents about people that seemed very average. There was something about a student, a businessman, his assistant, an actor, an infamous photographer, and a hacker. It seemed like a weird group. It was like somebody was playing Mad Libs and grouped the strangest options.

She gripped at the paper in her hands, "What exactly do these people have to do with that? What did they do?"

His mint eyes narrowed.

Oh, that was the wrong question, wasn't it? Quietly he rose from his chair and began to walk in her direction from across the room, and she went quiet. There had been a few times now that he had lashed out at her for saying too much or too little. She knew that she was walking a tightrope but she needed to understand this man.

Why did he want her so badly for this?

Unknown was a quiet man, most of the time, anyway.

He was swallowed up in his work and once he got to work on something that had to be done right then, thusly, he paid her no mind whatsoever and just continued to toil away on a very so-called big "important project". She wasn't even sure what he wanted her to take care of, as she was left to her devices most of the time.

It felt more like she was a glorified toy, rather than some assistant.

Though, it wasn't like he was denying her anything that she needed.

She may have been stuck to his side like super-glue but she still could do basic human fun. Nobody will know how grateful she felt to be able to take a hot shower of all things after days of being trapped in this damp cellar of a room. She just ran on his schedule most of the time and that was no way for a to live.

Unknown took care of himself pretty poorly as far as she could see since he worked as long as humanly possible and beyond that, and she wound up spending a good amount of time making sure that he ate something when she did.

It took a bit of pressing to get him to agree to let her roam the halls. But, it wasn't like she could escape when he could watch the cameras wherever she went.

It went a little something like:

_She had been staring at him for some time and it still flabbergasted her that this man could push himself to the brink of passing out, and as much as she wasn't sure how she felt about this guy, he couldn't up and die on her in this room. "Hey, you haven't eaten in hours."_

_His fingers never left the keyboard and he continued to type the next set of the log, "What of it, princess? I've gone far longer without food and drink than a few hours. This is nothing to me."_

_Her expression fell flat. _

_Just what was this place like if he felt like he had no choice but to starve himself? What had he gone through that made this a reality? She shook her head, "...That's not okay? I don't know what you've been through but you need to eat if you want to keep up your energy on this… project." _

_"Tch," he scoffed. _

_Unknown seemed less than impressed with her attempts at trying to be nice to him. _

_"You're the one that said I'm your assistant now, well, part of that job means that someone makes sure you have everything that you need," She said, pointedly. "So, let me out of this room and I'll go and make you something."_

_Unknown paused, and then finally, looked over his shoulder at the girl. "Fine. If it'll get you to stop nagging me every couple of hours. You better not try and make a fucking run for it. You'll be punished severely if you do."_

_Lila stared at him, "I won't. I know I'm in no position to do something like that. You're the one that controls all the cameras. It's pretty pointless to make a break for it when you're with the strongest guy in the building. I just… figured you would benefit from eating something substantial instead of crackers. I know that's not filling."_

_Her gaze shifted away from him momentarily. _

_"You're practically skin and bones, you know? I've... been there before and it's not fun. It's a really bad habit to stay off of it and reward yourself with it later. I spent a lot of time in and out of the hospital when I was younger for those types of choices, I'd hate to think of anyone going through that, even somebody like you, Unknown." _

_Unknown didn't know what to say to that._

_He just looked over her face to see if there was a lie in any of those words. Most of their banter to this point had been about work and her constant inquiring of this and that. It led to a lot of bickering back and forth. _

_Perhaps it was that he didn't know how to respond to somebody that had nice intentions. Nobody had ever thought of him enough to do something like that. He was always looking to do what others expected of him and all his other needs did not matter. _

_A part of him was sure she was doing this so that she could keep breathing here without worry, but her tone was so genuine. _

_"Fine," he said, lowly. "Just don't speak to anyone when you're outside of this room or there will be a price to pay."_

Lila snapped out of her daze when Unknown stopped in front of her and reached out with both of his hands. She thought that he was going to touch her but instead he grasped from the loose papers from her hands and stared into her eyes.

"You'll know soon enough," his voice was haughty. "They're a group of liars and traitors that work under the guise of helping others. They act high and mighty when in reality they throw every person that is in need under the bus. You may look for the good in everyone but I assure you that these people are rotten to the core."

Lila was taken back by his tone. She flinched at the vicious vitriol and bitter animosity in his voice as he spoke of them. She had seen him become sour before but it was never like this. He was angry, but never like angry enough to seethe.

She slowly nodded her head to show that she understood his words.

"I… I understand," she murmured.

Then, like the flip of a dime, his expression changed, and he brushed his fingers against her cheek in such a tender motion.

His lips curled upward enough to hint amusement or pleasure, but you would blink and miss it.

"You like to wait and listen, don't you? You look for as much information that you can seize out of people before you speak to them. You know you can't trust everyone, and you're wary, cautious. It's an admirable trait. That's what I want you to do, princess. Learn everything about these bastards and relay whatever information that you can find."

"...That's it?"

"That's it. I have to focus on more important matters. I've seen as much of these people as I need to see to know their type. Why waste my time when I have you here to help my mission? I'm a very busy man, princess. My Savior expects me to do better than I did before."

Savior, again.

He wasn't the boss of whatever this place was as he answered to a higher person and they often called him and told him what to take care of. He would listen so closely to the voice on the other end of the speaker that it seemed like he was hypnotized. Anytime she inquired about that person Unknown would tell her that she had no reason to be with the woman yet.

His Savior was busy running this place.

However, there would come a time very soon when she would be by to see how much progress she was making at Unknown's side.

Unknown was a strong presence, already. To even imagine that there was somebody at this place that held more power and respect than he did with the believers? It was hard to think about. Every time she passed by someone in the halls they would duck their head and hurry away from her sight as fast as they could do so.

He made it abundantly clear that she was with him.

If anyone crossed him… well, she was scared to think about what may become of that person.

"Because… I'm here?" Lila supplied, unsure.

"Exactly."

What was she supposed to provide to prove her worth to somebody like that?

She was hardly that great of a person in the first place and the fact that anyone had some kind of faith or expectations to be better than she was made the air more suffocating than it already was.

She was far from great.

Unknown seemed to sense her troubled thoughts.

It was like she was as open as a book without having to say anything. Cupping her face in his hands to give her the first gentle touch she had received from anyone in days was quite a shock. They were so close at that moment that she could feel his breath against her cheeks.

"I wouldn't have chosen you if I didn't believe you were worth the trouble," he murmured. "I don't waste my time on people that won't satisfy my aspirations. I wanted you from the moment I saw your face. Don't take that lightly."

"I…"

He shushed her immediately. "Don't open your trap, princess. We both know your weaknesses, and how you hate yourself. I see your worth. You should learn to see it for yourself. You could be so much stronger if you just accepted it."

His praise didn't come to just anyone.

She had seen the way he looked at the rest of the believers and seen the way that he was when he was alone and with her instead. He barked orders at those that were useless and not good enough to do what they had to do. She was different to him. As strange as it was, she kind of liked the fact that someone needed her so much.

She had never been needed by anyone before.

Nobody had ever thought of her as more than an annoyance. Even her big sister had to pity her for the trouble she caused. That was why none of them had even bothered to speak with her since she decided to leave.

They were probably glad that she was gone now.

Glad to be rid of something that stained their good family name.

It might have seemed awful at first to come to this place, but perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing that she came here.

Unknown was different.

He saw something that nobody else did. He saw worth in her talents. He saw the person underneath the weakness and tears. He had chosen her out of anyone else he could have had. He could have had anything he wanted, it wouldn't have been that difficult with his ability.

Maybe he was right, after all.

* * *

Lila peered over his shoulder at the monitor.

She could see bits and pieces of that messenger app that he had used to speak to her with, except this variation looked much less glitchy compared to what they had been using. "So, the app you tested on me was only the beta form of what you've been building over here?"

He didn't seem to bother her inquiry if it was into her knowledge of his strength.

"Mmm. You could say that I've been building this from the bottom up from old traces that the Savior kept," Unknown said, his voice was very matter-of-fact. "I've nearly uncovered what I need to get it stabilized."

So, he had built this from nothing, only going off of images and photos. It was impressive. She could remember coding websites in high school and the numbers even then had been far over her head and too much for her to understand, she wasn't ever the brains, she was always the creative one that made things look good.

This was a whole other ballgame compared to that functionality.

His goals right now are to build this from the bottom up and learn as much as humanly possible about the RFA. That was split between the two of them now, but he was making much more progress than she was if she was being honest.

She was backtracking social media and looking up as much reachable information was available to her as humanly possible.

Everyone has accounts but not all of them were active enough for her to find what she needed. It also made her sick to her stomach when she got too far into it. Lila had never really stalked anyone's profile before. She never really saw a point in it. She was hardly active on her own pages sans for posting her work and fashion photos.

Unknown had made it sound so simple, easy, and without much issue.

"What's going to happen when you finish it?"

A chuckle escaped from the back of his throat. "That's when the real fun is going to begin. If you want to see a real wild adventure take place then you'll love it when we get to that point. I haven't decided yet how far I want to take it. But, I know what I want. It's only a matter of time until it's within my grasp."

She knew what he wanted.

He wanted the destruction of those people… the RFA.

This group of people that supposedly held parties for charity and did good for the sake of others, but everything that Unknown said seemed to imply that that was a cover.

They all had different levels of issues and yet, there were two members that made him angrier than anything.

All of them were guilty by association in his eyes. Lila looked away from him and then blurted out without thinking, "You mean your revenge against Luciel? I-I mean, that redhead, right? That's what you're excited about? Right?"

She hadn't meant to say that name.

"That's what you're looking forward to doing… it's all you talk about so I just thought..."

Excuses.

Excuses.

If she so much brought them up he would begin to berate her and speak down of those people. She didn't know them as he did. She was an outsider looking in trying to learn as much as she could and his help never went far enough to give her what she needed. What was so evil about a man who took photos or a man that seemed to work for an underground ring to survive?

What was it about them that made them evil?

All she was seeing was the surface.

A man who was quiet and too polite for his own good, and somebody who seemed to laugh and have fun teasing others. Where was the evil in that? She didn't know. He would never tell her about the past at length. If she said anything that sounded even the slightest positive, her back would hit the floor and he would damn near wrap his digits around her throat.

Curiosity kept hurting this cat.

Today was no different than those times, the minute she spoke that name to him, it was like the gates and chains holding him down had been unlocked in the zoo.

She found herself pinned against the wall with his fist mere inches from the side of her face. Her breath was quickened and she stared at him with wide, fearful brown eyes.

"I told you not to say that name," he hissed.

"I- I'm sorry, I forget," she choked. "But that's it isn't? That's why you're working so hard. You want to get him back for what he did to hurt you in the past, right?"

He was every bit furious with the world as he was smart. His being was intimidating was that of fury and scorn. Everyone could see the hatred in his eyes and they treated him accordingly, but Lila could have sworn she saw a glimmer of something more underneath that pain.

Hurt?

Trepidation?

Dare she say, scared?

When he spoke of that man, it was like he wasn't even seeing the room in front of him anymore.

It was like he was envisioning a memory or the past of the future, it was never entirely clear. He wasn't looking at her with his rage. He was looking at the idea or the vision of this man that had hurt him in such a way that left him unable to explain it.

His voice was venom, and his fingers on her arm were as cold as ice, "I'm going to ruin everything that that redhead has built for himself out there in the world. He thinks he can live carefree when he knows what he did.. He'll rue the day he fucking decided to do what he did. I can't wait to see him burn down to ashes. It's all I can think about. It's all I've ever wanted to see happen to that bastard. It's what he deserves. When that traitor is finally in my grasp, **I'll show him what hell is.**"

Unknown meant what he said.

He wouldn't stop until he destroyed that man.

* * *

Unknown had been gone for a long time.

He often left her alone to work in this room without so much as a goodbye and it would be hours before he came back. Her only liberty to leave was to go one place and then come right back; She wasn't technically an inducted member of Mint Eye, yet, that would be coming soon, Unknown would remind her every now and again.

If she was a full-time member then a lot more freedom would be given to her to exist. For now, she was stuck under Unknown's lock and key. It's what his Savior dictated. He did whatever she wanted him to do.

Lila wasn't sure she was a fan of that idea.

Freedom sounded great.

But, she didn't believe in any of the ideology they spouted that came with that freedom. She knew that their intentions weren't as holy as they seemed to be. She was trapped here without a choice, however, so what she wanted wasn't going to be considered.

Her phone had been tinkering with so that it only worked to communicate with Unknown as far as that went. She never answered when he called and she always had to answer when he called or else he would scold her actions.

He was the only person in her world and without him around things got rather dull, rather fast.

When he wasn't working, it was so easy to speak to him. He listened to anything that she wanted to say and he would expect the same of her. A lot of that talk revolved around work, but there were lingering moments when he would give her more information about himself as a reward for her hard work on this project.

She figured out that she had him read wrong from the start.

His past really had been horrible from what he did say. Years of not being allowed to eat or go outside, years of loneliness, years where he considered the only friends he would ever have flowers in the garden outside of Mint Eye. It wasn't all of the pieces to the mental puzzle she was building but she was getting a better understanding of this man.

He was a mystery she wanted to unravel.

It was strange.

This person was more than just who he wanted people to believe that he was, and she couldn't help but want to know more. He knew everything in the world that he could dig into about her due to his long research. She didn't have that liberty with him. She wasn't that smart. Sure, she knew her own way about things but he was another caliber.

Another class entirely.

With pursed lips, she stared down at her device with a frown.

Where was he now? What was he up to? Was he working in the field for more intel or was she speaking with his Savior? When would he decide it was time to come back? There weren't many places that she could think of, and he wasn't somebody to do things at his own leisure.

Her hours were defined by time with and time without. She couldn't get a lot of work done without his help.

He knew that.

Time began to blur and she was lost in a daze until the sliding door opened and the room was illuminated with the natural light. She squinted at the doorframe and rubbed at her eyes until her vision cleared up.

She wasn't sure who it was but that figure just seemed too small to be Unknown's own, he was a lot taller than that. Still, her voice was ever hopeful as she stared at the person, quietly questioning the person, "...Unknown?"

Their face was still distorted from the light but Lila could see the hint of a smile, "Oh? Is that what he decided you should call him? Interesting. Though, I'm not very surprised. He's not fond of that other name."

Her voice was soft. She sounded like she was very kind, and gentle. She seemed to radiate the light that she was bathed in; It was strangely comforting and foreboding in a way. She stepped inside the room and broke the illusion. That was the first time that Lila really got a look at this woman and she noted her features.

She was hardly taller than Lila was when she stood up. Her long blonde curls framed her face in such a way that curved just right and what stood out the most were her eyes. They were deep emerald green, just as Unknown's were in a way, but these were far more natural compared to the unnatural hue that he had.

She had this air about her that made you respect it. She may have been small but it was easy to see that she could be a force to be reckoned with if she so chose to be.

His other name?

Oh.

His real name.

There was something in her gut telling her that this woman was more than just a regular visitor, and that would stand to be proven. Lila bit at her lower lip, "...You wouldn't happen to be his Savior, then, would you?"

The woman's lips turned into a smile.

She began to walk forward, "Yes, that would be me. What a clever girl you are. I am the Savior of Mint Eye, and you're the girl that Unknown chose to help him with his duty. I must admit, I was hesitant to believe that he went out to find a partner for himself. He's very dedicated to Mint Eye's cause, and if he thought he needed help I would have supplied it myself."

Lila didn't budge from her spot. She didn't think that she could. Her voice sounded so sweet but the implication in her words was far from polite.

"So, when he told me that he found someone worthy of our cause on his own, I wasn't sure why he would do such a thing. But, now I understand. You're a pretty thing, and he's always had trouble with that. I would hate for him to get distracted from his work because of some girl," the Savior stopped in front of Lila.

She paused, reaching forward to gently brush a strand of hair behind the girl's ear. "But, I'm pleasantly surprised. His work has gotten much quicker since he took you at his side taking care of things. You may just be a great asset to my boy, and to me. You haven't even tried to escape, though Unknown can be a brute if he doesn't get his way. You've just quickly dedicated yourself to our cause."

Lila swallowed, "Well... Unknown made a very great spiel about Mint Eye. He's very convincing and it wasn't that hard to choose an allegiance from the way that he describes this lovely place you've created to protect others."

The Savior did as Unknown would do, looking through her words and her expression to try and locate a lie of some kind. It might make matters worse if she thought she saw something she didn't like. This woman controlled Unknown's life by all accounts.

She was the reason he was working himself to death, the reason why he hardly ever slept or ate, the reason why he saw no option but destruction, the reason why he was fighting so damn hard, and the reason why Lila had to try and dodge a minefield of danger to ensure that Unknown was functioning as a human being.

This woman was dangerous.

Lila had to watch what she was saying.

"I don't see why I shouldn't help him or Mint Eye. He's given me an opportunity to be useful," Lila added. "It would be foolish on my part not to recognize something this important. It's a pleasure to ensure your goals. I realize I am not privy to everything yet but I hope to prove myself worthy of his selection."

She seemed satisfied with that answer, now. Her hands dropped back to her sides and she hummed thoughtfully.

"I'm glad to hear you say so. I would hate to think about what would befall of Unknown if you were to cause any trouble. After all, he vouched for you. If you make trouble then he will suffer for it. I can't control what others may do… or think of him if you were to mess things up. It seems my worries were for naught. In due time, my dear, your ceremony will take place. I look forward to it. I hope you do as well."

Ceremony?

Unknown had mentioned his once when she inquired. It was different for everyone who went through it and how you reacted to it would change drastically depending on who you were. It involved a small number of tests… as well as something else he wouldn't say aloud.

The final test, perhaps?

Lila had a feeling though, that it had something greatly to do with his dependency on that glimmering bottle of liquid that appeared in his hand every couple of days. It was clearly a batch of something strong.

His moods would change drastically before and afterward. If she asked about it, he would never answer directly, he said that he only took enough of that to ward off the headache he had. It was his special medicine. A few swigs of something was one thing. But whatever that something was, it seemed like nobody should take it at all.

Those so-called natural remedies that people made never turned out to be good in any sense of the word. If they were making stuff like that, what else was going on in this place?

If she was going to have a ceremony soon…

Lila couldn't stomach that thought.

What was worse was the realization that his Savior was holding his safety over Lila's head.

She was making herself clear and she didn't care what happened or how Lila reacted to it. If she messed up then somebody was going to pay. She didn't want to be the reason that Unknown got hurt or the reason he got into trouble. He already had the weight of Mint Eye on his back, being the only person in charge of damn near all security.

Lila would give this woman credit for something:

She knew how to control people and bend them to her will whether they liked it or not.

* * *

Lila's worry had been justified.

Unknown was gone for nearly two days straight.

She wasn't entirely sure if the hours were right because she didn't really have the sunlight to go by most of the time, just the clock on her phone that signified the hours and how long it had been since they had spoken. She didn't have anything but her thoughts and worries to keep her up at night.

It was weird without Unknown.

She almost forgot what it was like to be alone with her worries and thoughts. She spent that time pilfering online to look at this and that. There was nothing interesting going on with the RFA that she could read over and that left her with just the option to look back home to see what everyone was up to there.

Did they miss her? Were they even worried? Did they even care that they hadn't heard from her in weeks?

Lila clicked each profile one by one and her heart sank. There wasn't even a mention of her name and they were doing all sorts of family events. It was like she didn't even exist. It was like they were doing it on purpose. It was like she wasn't even alive.

Nobody gave a fuck where she was or what she was doing.! She wound up tossing the device on the floor out of sheer rage and frustration. She covered her face in her hands and just wept. There had been a reason why she hadn't even considered checking back home. Lila feared that this was what was going to happen if she dared to click open.

It was true.

It was all true.

Nobody cared. Not a soul had even been bothered to ask where she was or how she was or what was happening. It was a cruel reality. It stung and it cut into her insecurities like a knife. Unknown had been right.

Nobody out there appreciated her in the slightest, and she was a fool to think that she could just keep living like that. He had wanted to protect her from getting hurt like this, and that was why he brought her to this place.

Lila didn't want to believe it.

But, the facts were right in front of her face and she couldn't deny that.

This was the universe's way of letting her know that she never really mattered to anyone and her life was just sort joke of cosmic joke. She hoped that whoever was laughing at her expense was happy with themselves. Because she understood now the truth that she had long been denying and lying to herself about.

For a long time, she just laid there on the ground and stared mindlessly at the ceiling. Her heart was so tired and weary she couldn't even bring the tears to spill out anymore. It felt like this was all she was going to know from now on.

Unknown might not come ever back. His Savior might have finally punished him for bringing an outsider into their midst. He could have realized that she wasn't even worth his trouble, either. So, it was much to her surprise when the door finally opened in the middle of the night and Unknown was politely shoved into the room.

He looked far different from the strong man that he made himself out to be. He staggered, stumbled, and fell to his knees. His chest heaved in and out, but whatever he had in him was all but gone from his body.

Unknown looked like he had been run through a wringer.

His face was pallor, hair was unkempt, and his clothes were disheveled. Whatever had happened to him while he was gone had not been good at all and it showed in the way he could barely pull himself off of the floor. It looked like he was hurting too damn much.

Lila almost immediately sprang to his side and the door shut as soon as she reached him, locking them both inside. She pressed the back of her hand to his forehead and nearly recoiled at how hot it felt to the touch. It wasn't okay.

He wasn't okay.

"Hey," she whispered, mostly to herself because he seemed to be in a world of his own. "Hey, you're really warm. I need to help you lay down, okay? Can you work with me?"

He grunted in response.

It wasn't enough but it was something and she could work with someone who at least had some sense left. It took a good bit of energy for her to help him but after a few minutes of struggling to hold his weight up, he flopped over onto the couch with a thud.

It was haphazard, but hey, she was working with fire!

Lila glanced around the room for a moment. There wasn't much in here that would help him and since she had heard the lock from the outside with an audible click, that meant that she couldn't get out and get him anything to ease his fever.

"Shit," she cursed.

There wasn't a lot that she could do for him, now. It made her feel really helpless. Whatever they had done to him had really messed him up good. This was just a beating, they had given him too much of something and let it burn in him. There was no way he was going to be able to get up out of this on his own.

Lila would have to go through a list in her head and see what she had and didn't have on her, first, that would be the smartest bet. There was a bit of water somewhere in this room that she hadn't finished and she could probably makeshift a rag if she tore hard enough at something. He was in no state to do much besides sweat this out.

She looked back down at Unknown. Something in her chest stirred at the sight of him. She wasn't sure what it was but it was one of those sensations that you couldn't ignore.

He looked… vulnerable.

There was no scowl or mask for him to hide behind in this state. For the first time, she was really seeing him. His tired eyes, his worn expression, his feathered brows, how small he was, and how fraught with deep pain he was.

She tore her eyes away from him and went to work as quickly as she could manage, returning a few moments later to his side. Lila sank down to her knees and gently placed the rag against his forehead, smoothing out his tousled locks in the process. It wasn't much at all, but it could ease some of his discomforts.

She wished that she could do more for him but this was all that she could do now. Lila found herself asking him as she lowered her face in her hands, "Is this because of me? Do they do this because you brought me here?"

His voice was as surly and blunt as ever, even in a state like this, "...No."

Lila looked up at him, surprised to hear an answer so soon.

Unknown was looking at her but it seemed like he wasn't all there with her just then. He was awake but he was looking right through her instead of at her. He winced and turned his head to look back at the ceiling.

She didn't want to rush him, but she wanted to understand why they would hurt him if he was so important to everything. How was she supposed to believe in this cause of his if they were going to hurt him? He said nobody got hurt in this place!

Why would you put the strongest person out of commission like he wasn't that important?

"Why, then? Why are you like this?"

"It's a… reminder."

"Of what?"

"..."

"Unknown, please…"

"..."

He didn't respond.

Lila wasn't going to get an answer from him.

She started to get up, thinking that she would check the room for anything she may have missed but was stopped when something grasped her wrist. It was clammy, but it was his hand.

When she turned her head to look back at him, his green eyes were far different than the ones that she had come to know these past few weeks. Lila didn't see a hardened and calculated gaze of a cold genius, instead, she saw the eyes of somebody who was hurting badly and seeking some form of comfort from the ache.

It was like…

It was like he was an entirely different person.

Her breath caught in her throat. Until this point, there had only been vague glimpses of something more in his eyes and now she was seeing clearly what was underneath his cold exterior. Unknown was running himself ragged. He couldn't keep doing this. He was tired, and he was looking for something to fix this.

He couldn't do this alone, he had said.

"Don't leave me alone," he said, his voice quiet and so unlike himself. At least, the man she had come to know. His plea was desperate and it was seemingly all that he had in him. "Please, don't leave me… please… please."

Lila's heart sank.

She knew that she shouldn't let herself start to view this man more than her captor but it seemed more and more like he was trapped as well without a choice in the matter. His green eyes were as mysterious as ever and she found herself drawn into them like a river flowing out to sea.

She was drowning, being lured out in deeper and deeper water, so deep that her feet couldn't touch the ground any longer.

There was no turning back from this point.

Lila gently removed his grasp from her wrist and laid back next to him. She maneuvered his arm a bit so that it rested over her hip. If she was drowning in this place, then she was going to be the one to drown herself within him, nobody else would make that choice for Lila.

"I'm here," she told him. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to stay here with you. I won't ever leave you, okay? I promise."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Hope you're enjoying this story. Remember to read and review! It's what keeps me motivated to write-write-write!


	3. Angry Too

**3: Angry Too**

* * *

_"You're mine, you know that?"_

_"You're getting ahead of yourself, Unknown."_

_"Oh? Really?"_

_"That isn't how you win a girl over, let me tell you. It wouldn't hurt for you to be a little nicer to people every now and again."_

_"As if I'm going to waste my time when we both know how this ends."_

He awoke in a stupor.

It seemed like he had lost time again.

While it wasn't the first time that had happened to him, it felt strangely different this time around. Unknown was used to that as it had happened often during his entire life, periods where his awareness was fuzzy and when he would suddenly awaken from a daze in the middle of the day only to realize that six hours were missing.

The elixir had its downsides.

It also had benefits.

It hurt at the moment but he would soon feel stronger than he ever had. That was how it worked on him. People who were weak and foolish on the inside needed a reminder of their place every now and again to show them. For Unknown, he needed it to reignite his rage.

It helped him reach his potential and the Savior was always right in her judgments.

Unknown couldn't remember when they came for him but he knew that it had been a long time that his body underwent the ceremony. It was a precaution of sorts or something along those lines; All he knew was that his arms had been held down as they forced the glimmering elixir down his throat until he was gasping for air.

It wasn't a punishment, per se. The Savior just hadn't been pleased with his actions as of late, sure, she let him keep his new assistant, but her trust of the woman was wary. Outsiders brought into Magenta were always given a keen watching before they were accepted and she wasn't one that the Savior picked herself, Unknown had picked her for himself.

He had faith in his princess.

The price of that faith was taking his licks.

It wasn't hard for him.

He was used to pain and used to what it would do to him. Pain was just a part of life. Pain just happened whether you liked it or not. A lifetime of pain was nothing compared to a few hours or days. So, he hadn't entirely been all that bothered by what happened.

It wasn't something that would happen again to him, because soon he would be able to give and administer the ceremony to his Lila and that pain would shift into something far from something ugly into a beautiful symphony.

What felt frustrating surely would become something that he loved, and he was looking forward to the day that he could save her. The insufferable pain that happened when he was alone… would be far gone. Content in paradise with the one that he wanted so much.

It would be perfect.

The only thing better than saving Lila would be the eventual satisfaction he would feel when he was given that traitor's head on a platter. But, he was getting ahead of himself. There would be much more planning to be done.

Only a matter of time, he would remind himself. Only a matter of time until it was the right moment to let her join them. He just needed to prove to his Savior that she was worth it, and she seemed to be thinking in a positive way after she spoke with the girl.

Speaking of which, he needed to get up and figure out how much he had missed and where he needed to make up for the lost time. Unknown tried to sit up but he fell right back against the cushions not long after; He winced in pain and gripped his head.

It was a small buzz of electricity in the back of his eyes that warned him not to move. Irritating, of course, but he knew better than to rush right after this.

He would often ignore whatever his body was telling him but for some reason, it felt like there was a weight on him. His lungs would burn and his joints would ache but he never felt as heavy as a bag of bricks.

That was a new kind of symptom, right? It had been months of taking the elixir for him and he doubted that something new was happening.

That meant that the only possible answer left was—

Lila.

Unknown quickly realized that it wasn't, in fact, his head playing tricks on him this time, that weight wasn't a new symptom. She must have helped him, right? It didn't make sense to him.

He couldn't place a memory beyond being carried back to his workroom by the guards but it seemed like somebody had taken the time to keep him from sleeping on the floor.

She was still asleep by all accounts. He didn't know how long she had been awake or waiting for him to return.

It must have worn her out.

Somebody… worried about him.

She… worried about him.

Her dainty fingers dug into the fabric of his shirt so tightly it seemed like if she wasn't doing so, he might leave her grasp. Her head resting against his chest and curly locks splayed out a bit from tossing and turning. She looked so peaceful. There was always a lingering worry in her expression when she was awake, so to see her look so at ease, and in embrace nonetheless, made him pleased.

"Mmm…"

It wasn't the first time that he had been this close to her body, however, it was the first time that they had ever been this close in such an intimate way.

For him, this kind of intimacy was a strange and new feeling. He had never been this close to another person in his entire life. He knew the warmth of a hug from his Savior but this was a different kind of feeling in his chest.

He wasn't sure if he was supposed to like it or not.

Yet, he let her do these things anyway.

Lila always seemed to be testing the limits of how close he would let her get to him every day, and this was a new height. It was small the first few times, little brushes her fingers against the collar of his shirt when he cornered her, and little touches of her hand against his own when she made sure that he ate that day.

Unknown wasn't sure how they ended up like this but he wasn't going to complain about it. He would not admit it but he liked the way it felt when she cared about him. His Savior cared about him and cherished him but the way that Lila made him feel…

That was something else.

It was why he was so desperate to ensure her place in paradise.

The sooner that she was confirmed and the sooner that she was a real member, the sooner that he would be able to hold onto that strange feeling, whatever it was, forever. His goals were within his reach and the future that he was building for Mint Eye and himself were starting to come together piece by piece, and he wasn't going to let anything stop him.

It was only a matter of time.

For now, he would relish in the feeling that came with the feelings that Lila brought to him instead of casting them aside.

"Heh," he couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped his lips. It was a bit weak and strange as it left him, as he couldn't understand why he felt this way. "I should get onto you for treating me like I'm weak like this… but, this time I'll let it slide. Just this once. Next time, I'll have to teach you a lesson about this and how strong I really am."

As if she didn't know from the way that he pushed her around and ensured his power by asserting his abilities. All it took was the wave of a hand and she was constantly stupified by his talents. She couldn't believe he had taught himself all of this in a matter of a year, or less, he still was a little hazy on the time.

Her fear had shifted to a kind of respect.

It made him feel strange. Like, a weird and dynamic way. Part of him wanted to push back against it and another part of him wanted to keep it close until she smothered him the way he smothered her back.

He liked the way her small hands clung tightly to him.

It was a reminder of how strong he was and how he could be. If somebody like that woman could like somebody like him then perhaps this really was a beautiful paradise. Mint Eye had felt like the prelude to a dream, but with Lila at his side, it felt tangible.

Unknown settled back against the couch and let Lila sprawl out against him. He needed to get back to work but he wasn't going to disturb her when this was the first time she sought him out.

A few moments longer… just a few.

That wouldn't hurt, would it?

* * *

It seemed like things had calmed down.

She and Unknown fell back into their little routine for a while, while he did his work and she did her work not far from him. Just because something happened and caused a few bumps in the road didn't mean that work was going to end. There was no stopping until things were completed and that path had no end in sight quite yet.

Sometime soon, hopefully.

These long nights without much sleep were becoming hard to manage. She dealt with it as best as she could but Unknown worked until he made himself pass out mid-sentence. The most that she could do for him during those moments was cover his shoulders with a blanket and sigh.

Lila understood that his goals were important but she didn't hide the fact that she was concerned about him. It wasn't any of her concern, though, as he could take care of himself. Which is what he would bluntly tell her time after time.

Yet, those conversations were brief and stopped before they got too far into something that would be against the rules. It was like trying to talk to a brick wall and everybody knows there's no winning a conversation like that.

Today, one thing was certain, Lila was frustrated.

It had been a while since either of them had been out of this room. It seemed to be the only thing that existed half the time. She wasn't sure how he didn't go stir-crazy from being trapped in someplace like this all of the time. This wasn't a place of security, at least, he didn't always feel like it was the most comforting place to be.

She sighed.

"That's the seventh time you've made that noise in the past half-hour," Unknown noted, his attention still on what he was working with and not on her. "If you're trying to tell me something with that then you should just say it instead of wasting my time with guessing games."

"...Oh, you noticed? I thought you were going to keep ignoring me instead."

He finished keying in the last string of code for this session, and shook his head, "As endearing as your sass is, princess, you should learn how to be direct. I don't like wasting my time with pleasantries. If you want something, tell me instead of wasting my time."

Her instinctual reaction was to pout.

It wasn't like they hadn't been spending time close to one another. As a matter of fact, ever since she had taken a leap of faith, he had been reaching out toward her and making more demands.

Today was no different.

That's why she had found herself on his lap, facing towards him as he spent his afternoon finishing off more of his work.

His excuse was that he wanted to keep a closer eye on her from now on, and he left it at that. Her excuse for the closeness was that she wanted to be sure that he was alright. There was just something satisfyingly gentle about the way it felt to feel the slow rise and fall of his chest and the beat of his heart so close.

It was a reminder that he was with her.

It was a reminder that she was with him.

Lila could feel his gaze linger on her but she continued to stare across the room at the wall. They had been just fine not saying much to each other but now that he had spoken there was no going back to that today.

She sucked in a breath and thought about how to phrase her question to him in such a way that would sound alright.

"It's just… it's been a long time since I've been outside," she said, quietly. "I'm not saying that I don't like being here with you. I just feel a little… trapped. I understand why I can't stray too far but I've been thinking about how nice it would be to go out with you."

"You haven't left this room in days, either. There's not a lot of time for breaks, I know. The mission is really important, no, it's crucial. It's just hard to focus when you can't concentrate. Sometimes it feels like I can't breathe. I just… wanted to know if it would be okay to take a break? Just a small one, you and me… together."

Unknown paused.

He didn't say anything for a long moment. It was like he was thinking over her proposal and weighing the options. She knew that it was asking a lot, and that's why she hadn't really brought it up.

She thought that she could and would make do with the circumstances that were given to her but she just couldn't help but feel… a little selfish. When she was with him… she could feel herself wanting more things that she had never really allowed herself to feel before. Her guilt with that was kind of strong.

Lila just wanted Unknown to be the smallest bit selfish.

He had gotten more obvious with his desires the more that she showed and opened up the possibilities to him. Lingering touches and lasting holds. He would silently beckon her to join him no matter what he was doing and she would find herself listening to him. That's how she wound up in his embrace like this.

"It was silly, I know, I'm sorry I brought it up," Lila mumbled.

Unknown clicked his tongue. He often did that when he was annoyed or bothered by her choice of words.

"Shut up," he told her, simply. "I hate when you talk like that. It's frustratingly annoying to hear you babble..."

That she did.

"...You like flowers, right?"

Lila pulled back so that she could meet his gaze. She cocked her head to the side, perplexed by his question. "Um, yeah? I guess you would have noticed that if you saw my social media when you did your background check. Why do you ask?"

Unknown weighed his options, but the scowl didn't leave his face. "There's a place I've been wanting to show you but there wasn't any time to do it. I'm ahead of schedule so I can take you outside if you really want."

Her brown eyes sparkled with such excitement at that notion. She couldn't stop the small laugh from leaving her lips as she hugged him tightly. "Oh, thank you! That means a lot to me. Now I won't have to nag you about getting some fresh air for the rest of the week."

He was true to his word and when he finished what he had, he took her by the hand and led her through the twisting and twirling corridors that seemed to make sense to nobody but the believers and himself until they stopped at a door that leads outside. She waited at his heels as he opened the door and let her breathe the night air into her lungs.

Lila shut her eyes until they were a ways away from the building and her shoulders felt like they were lighter than air. She opened them when Unknown stopped. She opened her eyes and looked around at the space that he wanted to bring her to. It was a vast and colorful garden where it seemingly held no end in sight.

After being trapped in a room with nothing but grey walls for weeks, or however it had been since she had come to place, this was everything that she needed. She wasn't sure what to say. She was in awe of the space around them and how much work had been put into it. It was beautiful, and she couldn't stop herself from getting a real look around and brushing her fingertips against some petunia.

For Lila, this was kind of like being a kid set loose in a candy store.

There was no stopping her from picking apart each new variation, finding things that didn't bloom as easy as they did back home, and smiling ear to ear. She would practically chat Unknown's ear off if she wasn't embarrassed to do so.

To think that a place like this had been hiding amongst the despair and perplexing darkness lingering all over the inside of that building. It was what she had missed most about being outside. It was the ability to come someplace like this where her heart felt really at ease.

As hard as it had been lately… this helped.

She stretched out her arms and stared at the rows and rows of flora, "I love it… I love it. It feels like I'm home again. I never feel happier then when I'm outside like this, I guess you might have seen that, but, not the whole picture."

"I never really had a lot of friends and I never really felt at home with other people. I guess you can say that I lived in my Grandma's garden most of my childhood… I had more friends out there than I ever did while I was in school. It's kind of silly, but being somewhere like this makes me feel so much better. I know that must sound kind of silly but… it means a lot to me, more than you ever might understand."

Lila spun around back to face where Unknown was standing with her starry-eyed expression to thank him.

"It's beautiful," she whispered. "Thank you."

He rubbed the side of his head and looked away from Lila, "Yeah, well, you're into this kind of thing or whatever, so it's only fair I let you see it. You've done everything I've asked and you've earned one reward. Nobody really comes here anymore apart from the Savior so it… it deserves someone to appreciate it, somebody like you."

"Why, that's almost a real compliment, isn't it, Unknown?" a laugh escaped her lips. "I thought you weren't that kind of guy, huh?"

"Tch," he scoffed, but his expression softened a bit. "Don't think of it like that, princess., I owe you one after you took care of me the other day. It isn't often I'm incapacitated. I could have handled it myself, but… thanks. It would have taken me a while longer to get out of that pit if you hadn't done something."

Lila smiled.

His tone was still a little bitter and it was haphazard of him to even try to say that word to someone, she could tell.

He didn't want to admit weakness nor did he want to feel like people were pitying him. His thanks was blunt but it was far more than he had given before.

She didn't pity him.

She just couldn't stand to see him struggling like that when she could do something about it.

She practically skipped over to his side, feeling this rush of positivity all throughout her body, and not-so-casually tucking her arms around him.

Lila was quiet for a moment as she relished in his embrace for the second time that day. She was still hovering just above the water of her feelings for this man. It wouldn't take much more for her to be fully immersed.

She let out a small, contented sigh.

"I just… I just couldn't stand to see you hurting, y'know?" she said, quietly. "I don't like that you had to go through something like that. It's not fair. It doesn't seem right, either.. You're more dedicated than anybody. I've never seen somebody put everything into something like you do for Mint Eye. Why would they put you through something like that when you're already long but proven your faith in this place? You've given them everything, right? Why punish you?"

There it was again.

Her faith wavered in Mint Eye.

Yet, it remained steadfast in him.

It was… strange. She believed in him, but she didn't seem to connect the strength that came from Mint Eye. He was strong because of Mint Eye, and he could fight because of them and how he had been treated. Yet, she saw his strength as his own and only his own.

It felt weirdly… empowering.

"It's what I deserve, I told you," he said. He couldn't look at the way that she clung to him. "I'm not like you. I wasn't born ready to take my spot here. I was… weak, once. Now, it takes a lot of work to be the person that protects paradise, and I've had to fight my way to the top, proving my dedication every time it's challenged by something or somebody. I must commit to everything."

Lila was quiet.

Her nails dug harder into the fabric of his jacket, "Even if those commitments wind up killing you?"

"We've talked about this, princess," his tone was clear. "Don't say another word. It's okay and how it's meant to be. My dedication to Mint Eye is binding, I'd give anything for my Savior if it came down to it. She's the one that saw worth in me. I won't die, anyway, I'm the strongest."

"No, it's not okay!" She shook her head, and looked up at him with the pain and worry in her eyes again. "You can't pretend that it is. Don't you remember what you told me the other night? That the elixir you take nearly destroys you every time you take it? How can this place be a paradise if it treats you like this?!"

No.

No.

No.

Unknown stiffened.

It seemed like he was hearing what she was saying but the fact that he heard it was enough to be a problem. Those words were dangerous and could get her killed if she said it to the wrong person.

His shoulders were tight.

Unknown didn't know what he would do if she got killed or taken away. He had planned their future already and that wasn't part of it, never.

He sucked in a breath and pressed his hands to her shoulders.

"Shut up," he hissed. "Shut up, right now. I'm warning you."

Lila never knew when good was good enough.

She couldn't stop the words from coming out of her mouth once they started, "How can you ignore it like easily? This isn't okay! You're miserable! This place can't be a paradise if it treats you like this. I can't… I can't stand it. You don't deserve to be treated like this. You do everything you can and look how they repay you. There might be hope in the world outside of Mint Eye, but this place hurts you the same way the outside world does… what's the difference?"

That didn't make sense!

"I can't stop thinking about how badly I want to leave this place with you," she admitted the words underneath the spilling tears. "I know I don't belong out there either, and I'm scared of what will happen when I go back; But, I don't want to be someplace where you're getting hurt. I just want this to be a real paradise, the one you told me about; If it treated you with the respect that you deserve, then you could really be happy."

Her grip on the collar of his jacket loosened a bit as the tears spilled from her eyes. Her sob was quiet, and she didn't get very loud but it was enough that it affected him. "If… If you weren't getting hurt… then..."

She was babbling at that point and it wasn't making much sense at all.

"Then… then…"

Unknown couldn't stomach it.

He could feel the dread in the back of his head starting to build as she spoke those words. She couldn't say stuff like that.

The Savior would do something drastic if she thought for a moment that Lila really wanted to do something that bad.

That was the most important rule of the Mint Eye, and when people broke it they did not come back the same way they left. It had to be done, it had to. They were removed, taken away, or transformed. But that couldn't happen to Lila, she had faith in him and that should have been enough.

Unknown was never good at handling waterworks.

He shook his head and gripped her even tighter than she did him, "Listen, princess, I am happy here. I'm only doing what helps me build my strength. You don't understand it yet, but you haven't had your ceremony. It hurts at first but then everything becomes clear to you all at once. There's no pain when it all clicks, and once I give you your ceremony… I'll no longer be in pain."

Lila winced at his rough grip, "What about me, then? What's going to happen to me when I have to go through that? What are you going to do when I'm hurting because of this?"

She didn't know what to say to that statement of his, other than how worried she was about what the future held.

Not just for herself, but for him.

"It won't matter how badly it hurts or how good it feels. I'll be there for you, with you, throughout the entire time." Unknown whispered.

"The time when I'm with you… that's bliss. Your paradise can be achieved and salvation is within my reach… and it is in yours as well. I've never felt more at peace with myself then I do when you're with me. There will no longer be any need for pain to reach our goals… when I save you, that's when my paradise… no, our paradise begins. "

He made that sound so good. He could make anything sound good.

Lila shut her eyes. "Does that mean that there won't be any need for you to get hurt anymore? That you won't have to work yourself into the ground? If I'm a member… if we're together, does that ensure your safety?"

She really wanted to believe in him.

She really did.

It was just hard to imagine that this place would change into something that didn't abuse him for his talents.

Would it be like a shot?

Would it be like ripping off a bandaid?

Would the problems only last for a short while?

If they could stomach this trial and get through it… would paradise become a lovely place?

"I don't want you to get hurt anymore," Lila said. "I believe in you, and I want to believe in this with you. I just… it hurts me to see you like that."

Once the RFA was taken care of and brought to where the Savior wanted them to be, they, Unknown and she, would surely be able to exist without this pain, right?

Right?

The memory of his pleading eyes haunted her memory and refused to leave her thoughts. He didn't seem to remember that he clutched at her for most of the time with strangled sobs, and every so often he would whimper pleas.

How he wanted the pain to stop.

How he was scared she was going to disappear.

How he feared the pain she could experience.

"As long as you're with me, then I can do anything, I'm the strongest I've ever been in a long time, and I'm so close to destroying that traitor," he muttered. "It's thanks to you that I'm going to be able to ruin them all. As long as you're by my side, then my paradise is with you… here."

This assurance was the most gentle phrasing that he had ever used towards her and his eyes, although hardened by years of unspoken difficulties, was the most sincere thing that he had ever really said. It felt like there was a weight to those words.

As scary and as perplexing as so many of these feelings were just starting to feel, that was what pulled her underneath the current.

Neither of them realized it until the other moved but they were steadily growing closer and closer to one another until there was no space left between them. His lips were on hers and the fire, oh, the fire in his body was far stronger than what the elixir did to him. It was what those lingering touches had been building up to all along.

This meant that she was devoted to him.

Her hesitancy would disappear the longer that he did his best to prove to her what paradise could be with the both of them. Unknown would keep it quiet about her feelings, just until he could save her himself.

Unbeknownst to Lila and Unknown, the Savior had seen everything that transpired between the two of them and she was not happy.

* * *

Unknown was gone.

Again.

He had a mission to take care of on the outside of the compound and he warned her that it would be a while before he could return. The Savior had said that it was crucial that he take of it by himself and ensure that everything was in running order before he returned. Whatever it was, it was a big deal, as he didn't even glance at her before he left in a hurry.

It seemed that his health didn't matter.

All that mattered was the success of the Mint Eye.

This stung in a way after they had spent the night clinging tight to one another in the garden underneath the moonlight where they shared so many kisses. She just couldn't take her hands off of him and he didn't stop her from doing. It had been beautiful, lovely, intoxicating, breathtaking, and made her lungs burn.

She never wanted to let Unknown go.

Unknown…

Even though his touch lasted a little longer than it normally did that morning when she awoke and he was on his way out, it still… was frustrating to think that he wanted to go out there and push himself when he knew that she was scared for his sake.

It rubbed Lila the wrong way when the thought came to mind.

She wasn't devoted to this place. She was devoted to Unknown. She only cared about him and his safety. The rest of it wasn't a concern for her and she desperately wanted to protect him from being hurt anymore than he already had. It wasn't right.

It wasn't fair.

That woman had made it clear that if she fucked up or showed the smallest bit of something she didn't care for, then he was going to get it.

Unknown told her plainly that she couldn't dare think about leaving this place, nor should she ever mention it to anyone. The number one rule here was that you never question authority and you never say aloud such blasphemous things. This place was for the weak to flourish into their strengths, not leave to be trampled again.

But…

This place wasn't supposed to have pain, either. Nobody was supposed to be hurting, nor were they supposed to feel any of the pain that supposedly only existed in the outside world. If Unknown had been telling the truth then this really would have been a paradise.

That was far from the truth now, as he was getting hurt.

Hurt!

All that Lila could think about was badly she wanted to get him out of this place and much she wanted to show him the world… that the world couldn't possibly be as bad as it was. There were terrible people out there, yes, but if they had each other… as long as they were together…

Couldn't they survive?

After all, numbers were everything and two was definitely better than one.

She was scared to think about it. After learning that her family just didn't care that she had been missing, and after learning that the place that Unknown tried to play up as a heaven on Earth turned out to be a moot point; The fact remained that neither place was safe for Unknown and herself, and that left her unsure of what to do.

What was she supposed to do? How could she protect him from wasting away? How could she stop them from hurting him even more? What was she even thinking? This was wrong… this was really wrong. She wasn't supposed to be thinking like this. Unknown had promised… he had promised that things would be okay in due time.

Very soon, he just didn't have a date of when. He swore that once the operation was taken care of and things were as they were meant to be, then paradise will truly become the place that he described. He swore by the lingering kiss he pressed to her lips.

Lila pressed her hand unconsciously to her lips and felt the warmth of the ghost of his lips against her own, cheeks flush.

It wasn't like anything else horrible had happened.

Perhaps she could really let herself drown in his promises and accept that change would come eventually. If she could get member status… maybe she could use that to protect him. It was just very confusing. There would be moments where she was ready to go through with this, and moments, where she felt like that, this may have been the wrong choice.

She shook her head, furiously.

It might have been just better if she ignored these feelings and continued to work through what they had at hand.

Things would be alright.

She just had to have faith in him, right?

Lila settled back into her work after she calmed herself down and stayed on task until the sound of her ringtone came from the other side of the room. She rose from his desk and went to pick it up to see if it was his name tag on it.

It always was.

She just felt better knowing that it was him.

Just as she hit the green button on her phone to answer his call, the door to the work lab opened in a flash and Lila whipped her head around to see who it was. It wasn't anyone she knew, or who she had seen anytime before. She didn't know these guys. Nobody was supposed to have the clearance to come into this room.

Unknown had said that only the Savior could come here.

So, why were they here?

Unknown's voice came from the transceiver as she stared like a deer in the headlights at these men that wouldn't budge.

_"Ugh. I thought you were never going to pick your damn phone up. Look, I need you to run some diagnostics for me. I'll tell you what you do, I can't do it remotely right now… Lila? Hello? Are you even listening to me?"_

She mustered what strength she had and glowered at the men to try and stand her ground, but she had the feeling that she was about as scary as a cupcake. "What the hell do you want?"

It was two of the believers. The ominous and hooded members that would do anything that the Savior wanted of them.

They seemed to be like the ones that had thrown Unknown around like a ragdoll the other day before he returned to this room, and she knew, she just knew when they made eye contact that they weren't here for anyone but herself.

They were here… to do something to Lila.

"The Savior has ordered for you to undergo your ceremony."

Her breath caught in her throat. They had come to take her to her ceremony? Unknown was supposed to be the one doing that.

What were they saying? Why would they be doing this? None of this added up at all. That didn't make any sense.

_"No… no… no…. not now, the Savior told me that I was going to be the one to take care of you! No, you tell those bastards that I'm the only one who gets you to give you the elixir of salvation! I'll have their heads if they touch you!"_

She stood her ground, though it was obvious she was trembling. "...I have no choice, right? You'll take me no matter what I say? Who sent you? Unknown told himself that he was going to be taking care of this soon."

The one on the left stared, "The Savior herself has requested the date be moved to today, and that she will be conducting it. That's all that I was told, and that's all that matters. You can submit willingly or we can take you ourselves, it's up to you how hard you make this. I would suggest you choose the prior. The Savior doesn't take too kindly to those that don't follow the rules."

Lila dropped her cell phone on the desk and slid it to where Unknown would be able to locate it when he got back here.

It was all she could give him.

She didn't really have a choice. There was no way that she could duck past these guys and make a break for it out of this room, she didn't know where she could go. There was also no way that they were going to believe a word that Unknown was saying, not if the Savior had told them herself that she wanted to be the one in charge of her ceremony.

Her word was above anyone else.

_"Lila, answer me, goddammit! Did they say what I thought they said? The… Savior…? She… she wants to take care of your ceremony…? She… wants to… save you…? She... I thought… I was going to… save you… but… if she wants… Oh, God."_

She wished that he was here.

She wished that Unknown was the one taking care of her and not that woman.

"Let go of me! Let go! Goddammit! Unknown's gonna be pissed off when he realizes what you're doing! You answer to him too! Not just the Savior!"

All that Lila could do was thrash against the men who took hold of her without any warning as they started to lead her away from her safe space. She wished that these guys would listen but no matter what she told them and what she threatened them with, her words fell on false ears and they ignored her voice.

She could hear Unknown on the other end of her phone as she was dragged away, and no matter how much she thrashed against the guards and tried to kick out of their grasp, she was too small and too weak in comparison to fight them off.

The sounds of his frustration and pleas would haunt her and continue to haunt her as she was dragged into the basement.

* * *

Calling this place a basement was like calling a prison a playground.

It may have existed underneath the rest of the place but it was far from just a place for storage. Once you entered the seemingly normal double doors and trekked down a long staircase, you would find yourself in a dark, damp cellar with cells to contain those that didn't follow the rules.

There wasn't a lot of light so it was hard to focus on the finer details.

At first, Lila assumed they were going to throw her into one of those. They would probably have kept her there until the Savior wanted to deal with her and do as she pleased. That would have been ugly but it was better than getting trapped somewhere else.

But, the believers that had held onto her just kept walking forward and further into the darkness. It was quiet, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop apart from the sounds of her own protests. The rows of chains and bars quickly diluted into rooms and doors that lead to other spaces that held God knows what inside of them.

Lila couldn't hide the fear that was creeping up her spine.

It was like being sent to the gallows to be hung. You had a vague idea of what was going to happen to you but you knew nothing about what it was going to be like or how it was going to work out. After seeing everything that had come afterward that Unknown had dealt with, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to fully understand what it was.

He had dealt with that for years.

She didn't have any tolerance for this whatsoever.

Her fears only continued to grow as they reached the end of the long hallway where only darkness remained. There was a pause, a brief moment before the doors opened, and that was when her voice seemingly died. It was one thing to stand your ground where you felt safe, and it was another to be brought where you had no power at all.

Then, she was thrust into the light.

The room was… not what she expected. She thought that she was going to be walking into a real torture chamber, but as it turned out,, the room at the end of this long hallway was a sanctuary of sorts. Unknown had mentioned there were a few throughout the building but there were only two crucial spots.

This definitely fits that bill.

The Savior was watching and waiting at the center of the room. Her head pressed into her chin as she thoughtfully waited for Lila to be rudely dropped at her feet like a ragdoll. She still radiated that calm disposition but that lingering feeling underneath it was there in her eyes. She looked more amused than anything, pleased to see that her will had been carried out.

"Nice of you to drop in," she commented, tone as smooth as honey.

Lila shook her head, "It wasn't like I had a choice."

The Savior never lost her smile.

"Are you wondering why you're here?" she asked.

Lila didn't know how to answer that. It was a loaded question. There was no telling why she had wanted to do what Unknown had long said he would do. All the threats that she had heard from this woman had been directed at him more than at herself. It was possible that she had an inkling of mistrust and her first thought was to take care of it herself.

Unknown's role was crucial.

Anything that got the way of his work would surely make trouble for the Savior.

She had made sure that she did everything that he asked and expected of her down to the letter that she knew, but something in that mustn't have been what that woman wanted.

"..."

The Savior stood from her chair and began to walk forward across the room until she was in front of Lila, "Well, I'll tell you since you can't seem to decide what to say. Your dedication to… Unknown is admirable, really, you do as he asks, and make sure he's doing as he needs to do. However, your allegiance isn't to me, and you've put ideas into his head that I can't forgive. You aren't all wrong in your actions, though, which is why I've decided to help you see the truth."

Lila refused to lift her head.

Savior clicked her tongue, and grasped Lila's chin between her forefinger and thumb, making her look. "Are you aware of what a special treat that is? I only personally save those that I consider beneficial to our paradise. You, my dear, have value to me, but your rebellious streak needs to be corrected.

"Corrected? You mean you're going to beat me senseless until I don't say anything but the word yes," Lila whispered. "That's exactly what you did to him."

Savior couldn't help but laugh. She snapped her fingers and the guards came back into play and took hold of her arms. Lila struggled but she was too small, too weak.

She never lost her smile, "Beat you? That's dreadfully barbaric, wouldn't you say? We have other ways of showing people the truth. For you, that means a special blend of elixir that I just created for you. You've seen it, haven't you? The way Unknown grows in strength every time he drinks his dose? How harder and faster he works when it's coursing through his veins? That is the untapped potential that exists in everybody, but for it to take full effect, you must accept the devil in your heart."

Lila shook her head, vehemently. "I'm not accepting anything! Let me go! You shouldn't be doing this to people! This isn't how you get others to love you!"

"This is how I protect and nurse others to unlock what's inside of themselves. You can no longer be hurt if you accept the Mint Eye into yourself. You're blinded by the feelings of the outside world. You cannot deny to me that you haven't felt a change since you came to this place, I see it in your eyes. You're denying it with your mouth but your eyes say that you are conflicted. You shouldn't fight it, you should accept it." The Savior did not pause.

"If you think I'm such a pest, why aren't you just getting rid of me?! If you're doing this to spite Unknown or hurt him, why don't you just kill me?!"

The Savior let go of Lila's face and went to retrieve the glittering liquid, and it shined an unnatural blue. "I'm doing what's best for you, and what's best for Unknown. If I took you out, he would throw such a fit. A pathetic princess like you… you can be useful if fixed before you get too far into him. I know that power, and I want to show you how to use your care for the sake of Mint Eye. Don't worry, I'll let you stay with Unknown when all is said and done."

Lila frantically tried to find a way out of this but no matter where she looked, there wasn't a path to safety. Her head was taken hold of and her eyes trembled, wide, as the elixir was held just above her head.

"No… No… No…!"

"Now, Lila," the Savior spoke in such a cheery tone. "I invite you to paradise."

* * *

Over… and over… and over…

Lila lost track of how long she had been trapped in this basement. It felt like months, but who knows if it had been that long. It could have been a lot longer.

They would barely give her anything to eat and they would starve her until she repeated what they said. They would let her fall asleep and then shake her awake to drown her in more and more elixir. Each and every time, the Savior would drop by and counter the vile liquid with the sound of her coaxing voice.

Her words were not sweet.

She would remind Lila time after time that she was weak, that she was pathetic, that she walked right into this mess by not trusting Unknown fully. She had gotten this way because she didn't listen to him. She kept thinking she knew better than anyone else when she really didn't. What good did she know if all she did was cause grief for Unknown?

It was her fault, and all her misery was because she was an idiot.

She was an idiot.

Why did she ever think she could do anything when all she did was mess things up? That was why her family threw her away and gladly forgot about her when she left them behind to escape. That was why she had no friends in her life. That was why she lived alone with nothing but flowers to keep her company. That was why she wound up walking into a trap and ruining it.

That was why she ruined Unknown and got him in trouble.

Because she was trash.

She hated herself. She hated everything about herself. She was in so much pain and it was all her fault. All she felt was hate and ungodly rage in her heart.

"It hurts…"

"It hurts."

"Make it stop… please… please…!"

"I can't, no, no, no!"

The stupor that she was under lingered for far longer than she expected.

They had said that it would last for quite some time until her body adjusted to the pain and grew to accept it. She wasn't quite sure if she had enough strength to stomach it for much longer. Her body was on fire, and whatever wasn't burning felt like static from the tips of her fingers.

One thing was for certain though, Lila felt an indescribable amount of rage and frustration.

She wasn't sure why.

It might have been the fact that she felt like she had been forced into a corner without her own say in the matter. It might have been the fact that she had been ripped away from Unknown and he was the only good thing about this place. It might have been that fact that she was really starting to believe everything that that woman had told her.

Whatever the hell it was, the feeling just wouldn't go away.

She was so weak… she was too weak… she never stood up for herself… she didn't try harder to fight for her own desires… she didn't try to win. She accepted defeat and turned tail like a frightened little rabbit trying to escape a wolf.

She was cowardice.

She was everything that that woman had said she was, and it really made her angry.

Why wasn't she brave?

Why wasn't she strong?

Why couldn't she be good enough?

What did she have to do to prove her faith? What did she have to do to show these people that she cared? What did she have to do to herself to become somebody that others would respect and be treated the way she deserved to be treated?

What did she have to do to prove her faith and belief in Unknown?

What about herself was so weak and tainted that could be crumbled up and rewritten into someone that could protect and keep what she cared about?

What was it going to take?

The world was going to swallow her up whole and spit her back out if she went back out there and tried to survive. As much it burned… as much as her body screamed at her… a part of her simply just snapped. Rational logic was thrown out the window, and she dug her nails into her palms until they bleed.

She gasped for breath and tried to hold herself together as it all fell apart. She had been left to lay there on the floor for God knows how long, and her entire body hated her for it.

It would have been less of a strain if she hadn't been thrown onto the wet concrete.

She couldn't get herself to get up.

Everything hurt. Everything was numb.

She just wanted the pain to go away. She just wanted the pain to go away. She just wanted the pain to go away —

"Oh, dear, you look like you've been having a rough go of it. How are you feeling now? It's been a while since I've seen you." A voice echoed through the darkness of the dungeon. It was the voice of the very woman that had snatched her away from Unknown and started this pain.

This confusing and blinding pain that made her question her choices and feelings. Lila didn't have the strength to lift her head but if she could she would have glowered at the woman.

But, now? She couldn't do anything besides grovel at her feet like a sick dog. It was the most pathetic and low she had ever felt in her entire goddamn life.

The sounds of her footsteps grew closer and closer and the darkened outline of the woman appeared in front of her, "It hurts, doesn't it? Well, pain is a great teacher for those that can't quite see the way out of the light and into the darkness. Has your allegiance become clear to you? Do you see now what you were blind to before now? I do hope that you understand what I've been trying to help you see."

She was forced to lift her head, and it forced her to cry out in agony. There was no way she could control this. That was what they kept telling her over and over and over again. She was weak, she was breakable, and she was pathetic. How dare she think she could stay by Unknown's side when she was nothing but a crybaby?

Lila opened her eyes for the first time.

She wore a soft expression on her face, the so-called Savior looked so composed and ethereal. She looked nothing like the monsters you dreamed of.

She was very beautiful, in a way that spoke of danger and mystery.

She smiled when Lila did this, "Don't you hate this? Don't you hate me? Don't you want to get rid of everything that hurts? Isn't the first thought that comes to your mind how much you want to destroy me? Tell me the truth. I can see it in your heart. What does your devil tell you? Come now, I won't judge you."

There was a part deep, deep inside of her that was protesting what Lila was thinking at that moment but for some reason, she just couldn't connect with that voice.

All she felt was rage, anger, and the need to fight.

If they wanted to push her until she died, then she had no choice left, they gave her no option to be anything but cruel. So, she glared up at that woman and with every ounce of strength that she could muster in her weary body, she said what was lingering on her mind.

"...I want it back. I want it back. I want back everything you've taken from me. I don't care what I have to do to get there. I don't care what that means for me. I don't care who I have to hurt. If it wasn't for the elixir… I would… I take it back from you… he's mine. I fought too hard to protect him for you to hurt him on my account…"

For some reason, that warmth was starting to feel less like a burn and more like a hot touch. It was hot water in a shower that you adjusted to minute by minute… she was starting to feel like the pain wasn't the worst thing.

No, no…

The pain that these drugs were causing was nothing compared to the hatred in her chest.

"You're the one… that said I… I was too weak to stand by him. You're the one that said that I was nothing but a princess. That I was too scared to do what had to be done for his sake. Well, right now… right now, I'm feeling like I would hurt anyone… even you… do anything… no matter how bad it was... if it meant that I had him."

Her fingers dug into the cold ground as she evened herself out and tried to push herself back onto her feet, although, she was a bit wobbly. By the time that she was standing, the Savior was watching her with what seemed to be amusement and intrigue. She didn't seem to be threatened by these words at all.

That only fueled the fire in her chest.

Her gaze narrowed. "If you all want me to a princess… then I'll be the worst fucking princess you've ever seen. I want what's mine. I want it now. I'm going to take it! That's all I've realized after being trapped down here. I'm tired of being pitiful. I want to be strong. I want to be so strong that nobody can hurt me."

Lila didn't know it, but she meant every word that she was saying.

It was the truth.

She wasn't just repeating what they wanted to hear her say.

She was living it.

"Is that so?" Savior commented.

Was that supposed to be a slap in the face?

"Are you going to stand in my way, then or not? I can't take this crap anymore and I'm so angry right now that I don't think I'm going to be nice anymore. Being nice to people didn't get me anything that I wanted," she spat. "I don't give a damn if you're in charge or not."

She was so tired.

She was so tired…

She wanted to go back…

Go back…

Lila just wanted to make it all stop, and the only way to do that was to prove her worth with her own two hands, "You wanna know what I think? I'll tell you what I've figured out in this damned place now. What good is kindness? What good is being a punching bag for everyone? What good is being weak? What good is there when you aren't strong enough to take what you want?"

What was the point in caring about him if she couldn't stay by his side?

She promised that she would not leave him.

They took that promise and stomped on it like a weed.

They made it look like she lied to him! Her relationship with him may have been complicated in a lot of ways. However, one thing was for certain, she cared about him and she didn't want him to hurt anymore. She wanted to stop that from happening. She wanted to make them stop it. She would do anything that she had to do to ensure that.

If she had to be his shield and his sword then that's who she would be. There was no use in being who she used to be. No, if she wanted to survive in this place and become somebody who could stand at the same level as Unknown she needed to be the strongest.

She needed to stop pretending that she was so sweet and caring. She needed to embrace this pain in her heart and destroy everything until she had him protected. "I see it now. Why be the sweet and kind princess? When I can be the princess that gets everything she wants to have, all the power, all the freedom, and all the respect."

Lila glared at that Savior. "I want it all. I'm going to do everything I can to take it. I don't give a damn who stands in my way. If you're going to keep me locked down here then I'm going to fight and kick and scream until you let me go free. He respects you, and that's the only reason I'm not trying to claw your fucking eyes out right now."

The Savior smiled, her smile grew so wide, and pleased by hearing this. "As a matter of fact, my sweet dear, I came here to let you out. Your progress is admirable. It took such a long amount of time for him to reach his truth. It took you a matter of weeks to realize your devil. I've never seen somebody so vile and pure. You've realized the truth of paradise. I'm proud of you."

The room was suddenly illuminated in light.

Lila winced and covered her eyes. It was too bright. It was too bright. Tears were coming back to her eyes because of it. She had been the dark for so long it hurt to even see a glimmer of light and this was too much to take in all at one time. When she felt like her body could tolerate it and it wouldn't make her fall onto her knees, she sucked in a deep breath and opened her eyes again.

The Savior was looking at her with such a pleased, proud look in her eyes. It was like she was going to praise her for a job well done. Part of her wanted to knock the smug look from her face but the other part of her knew that if she did do such a thing that she would have to spend more time in this place.

As much as every living fiber of her being wanted to destroy this woman, she could not.

Her body was starting to ache but she ignored that pain. Her vision was spotty. Her lungs were crying out. At any moment, she felt like she was going to collapse. She had pushed herself to the brim to display how she felt but it was too soon.

Lila sank down to her knees with a hard snap. She couldn't handle it. Her strength was fading fast and she felt weak again, weak and angry. Her breath quicked, and the heat returned. "Agh… hah… fuck… it hurts… it hurts… make it stop… please… please… I can't… I can't do this anymore… make it stop… aaagh!"

Savior knew that and she could see Lila accept her limits, "Feel that anger and let it consume your body and mind, every part of you. You'll be a force to reckon with then and nobody will control you. I'm not your enemy here. I know you feel that way… but I only want what's best for you, and cant you feel it? Can't you feel your power?"

She rested her hand against Lila's shoulder as she rasped for the air that her lungs desperately needed to consume. "I wanted to show you what you're capable of. Love blinds someone. It makes them forget what they really are. Your love was twisting Unknown, but now it can show him the right path to paradise. You can love him as much as you want, as long as you continue to feel this power and spread the message of this power."

Power… she could have it.

All she had to do was survive this pain.

This is what Unknown had been talking about all along.

All she had to do was hold her breath and pray she lived to see Unknown again. If she lived through this then she could prove herself to everyone and show the world that she wasn't a pitiful crybaby. She was going to the queen on top. She was going to get what she wanted and she wasn't going to let anyone stop her from getting it.

"Unknown will be satisfied to see you've accepted us into your heart. I have great expectations for both of you in the future, especially you, princess. Revel in your strong devil, Lila. Don't ever let that fire go out. Let it fester. Let it feed your wrath. I only have one question."

He would… be happy…?

He would like that she was strong?

She hadn't seen him in such a long time, and she hated to think he thought she was weak and pitiful.

She was going to control them all.

She was going to have it all.

She gazed down at the ground and noticed her reflection glimmering in a puddle on the floor and paused to stare down at the strange vision. There was a woman with messy brown hair and familiar rosy cheeks. It looked like her but at the same time, she didn't feel right. She didn't quite look as she remembered.

There was one striking feature about the person she saw and that was the intense mint-colored eyes they possessed. They were darkened and her expression was twisted in such a beautiful and yet tragic way.

The birth of a new person was happening today.

"Well, Lila, are you ready to accept paradise?"

She lifted her head and gazed up at the Savior with this expression lingering on her face as her lips curled into a grin so wide it could have rivaled a Cheshire. " I accept your invitation. I accept paradise. I accept the truth of this world. The weak will be eaten by the strong, and the strong will overtake the weak. However, there is no more Lila."

"Oh?"

She nodded her head. "It is the begotten name of my weakness. It no longer holds any worth to me, whatsoever. I am… Wisteria. One who loves without limitation to stop them anymore and feeds into the ever-growing vines that consume their body inch by inch until there's nothing left but binds to suffocate and choke them into true bliss."

There would be nothing to stop her control from spreading anywhere, and there would be nothing to stop Unknown from smothering her with his intense obsession.

He was hers.

And nobody, nobody was going to get in her way.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Remember to fave and review!


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